A Mess in All Directions
by BatsInABirdcage
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia was a mess in all directions. She was astoundingly lonely, but, I suppose you're never alone when you have an amorous Celestial Spirit on call. Loke didn't mind keeping her company, and for once Lucy didn't mind his advances. Oneshot. Snow is too quiet.


Author's Notes: I hope I rated this correctly. This is my first time on the site! I suppose it also makes this my first fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy it. I like LoLu as a couple. Lucy is astoundingly more independent than people give her credit for, and so I feel Loke is the only one able to effectively crack that armor. Oh, well. Lots of kissing and conversation, but nothing too racy. I have no talent whatsoever for writing smut, it seems, so I stick to fluff. I also think I might have a bit of a pretentious way of writing. It's unfortunate. Anyways, Fairy Tail is obviously not mine. It is a very cute anime, though, even if I do prefer shoujo most of the time. I hope you enjoy reading this. I rewrote it quite a bit, and it still doesn't seem good enough.

* * *

Lucy Heartfilia was a mess in all directions. The thick layer of grime on her skin made her feel like an orange in need of a peeling. She sighed and fumbled with the lock protecting her front door, her hands vibrating in the cold. It had begun to snow on her march home from the guild, but the young mage was unable to enjoy it. Her heavy winter coat fused itself to her sweaty skin, using the muck as a sticky polymer to remind her of just how disgusting she felt. The key finally clicked, and Lucy hurried herself inside.

Layers of attire were abandoned as she traveled to the bathroom, discarded on the floor in a trail to be tripped over later. Lucy steadied herself at the sink, her palms sticking to either side of the basin. Her aching muscles trembled as she leaned forward, shoving her face in the mirror and examining her features. Streaks of dirt painted her cheeks, purple rings loomed beneath her eyelids, and her lips were so chapped that the cracks threatened to begin an earthquake on her face. So, she looked as horrid as she felt; At least she was a consistent disaster.

Lucy searched for a wash towel and placed it gingerly on the counter. She shed the remaining articles of clothing and kicked them into a vacant corner of the small room. The blonde jostled the towel under the water and poured body wash into the cloth until the bottle let out a crude squirting noise. The soap oozed down the surface of her skin and opened her pores as Lucy scrubbed the filth from her skin with the ferocity of an exorcist removing a grudge. The wash towel had quickly transformed into a dingy shade of not-brown and not-gray. She discarded it with the rest of the grubby laundry and began to run a warm bath.

The water swirled around her toes as she dipped them in the tub, and she smiled. This would feel nice, and maybe distract her for a short while. She eased herself into the tiny sea in her lavatory and let out a contented sigh. She leaned back and rested her head on the edge of the tub. She fascinated herself with the ceiling, counting each individual wall tile. She thought of Natsu and Happy, sharing each other's company in their own homes. Lucy imagined Gray and Juvia, who were spending the night together, regardless of whether or not Gray understood just what Juvia's invitation to do so implied. Upon their return to the guild, it seemed as if everyone else had already made prior arrangements for the evening. Lucy had felt lonely in the crowded and boisterous room, and had ventured back home after checking in, defeated.

She splashed around in her bath, allowing herself to wallow in her sad feelings. It wasn't as if everyone was trying to exclude her—she knew that—it just felt as if everyone had someone to return home to. Lucy Heartfilia lived alone. Quiet evenings didn't suit her; they reminded her of the emptiness of her family's old estate. The cold and snow outside deterred most civilians from venturing outdoors, making the streets silent and restricting even the slightest bit of ambience from Lucy. She began the perpetual cycle of feeding off of her own loneliness. Her heart hurt.

She pulled herself out of the tub and dried herself. At least now she felt lighter, like Aries after a tumble in a big dryer, maybe? She ventured a half-hearted smile at the thought, but it came out crooked. Snow was just too lonely for the pretty young girl. _"Young woman." _She corrected herself. She was an adult, and she had become particularly capable of taking care of herself. She had to keep from referring to herself as a child, or everyone would treat her as such. Still, it was difficult, as she hadn't felt like a particularly responsible adult yet. She felt more like an almost person. In a world of cakes, Lucy Heartfilia was batter.

Her hips swayed as she collapsed on her bed and remained there, unable to will herself to get dressed or move from the crumpled heap her body was in. The solitude was crippling, and the world outside her window threatened to seal her inside forever. Lucy finally removed herself from the bed and pulled on her undergarments. She felt accomplished: Lucy Heartfilia could put her clothes on all by herself! Well, almost. She pulled on a light tank top and some shorts, and nodded at her achievement. There, she was being a sensible, functioning person. She bowed to an imaginary audience before catching a chill. She hurriedly pulled a sweater over her head and stretched a pair of long socks up her skinny calves and past her knobby knees. Be impressed!

She climbed back into bed and sat on top of her blankets, knowing it was much too early to sleep. Part of her feared that if she wasn't dead tired when the time came for her blonde locks to hit the pillow, she would fall asleep crying. She was in no mood to awaken with puffy eyes. However, she needed to do something in order to pass the time. The only difficulty, however, was that her ass had already decided that there was no possibility of leaving the bed. She wished for company. A slow epiphany slid into her mind, and she stared back towards the bathroom, the location of her keys. She had kicked them in the corner with the rest of her dirty clothes before taking her bath, and had forgotten to pick them up when she exited the room. Her hair dripped on her shoulders and dampened her sweater, making her shiver. She would have to get out of bed to summon Plue. She debated if it was worth it.

Before Lucy could come to a decision, a glowing gold light began to shimmer a few mere feet in front of her bed. Lucy moved like an intoxicated tarantula had taken residence in her brain, and had begun drunk-driving her limbs. She tumbled under the comforter, shielding her eyes from the flash of luminous radiance that beamed through her bedroom. She looked back to see her Celestial Spirit, Loke, standing nonchalantly against the frame of her wall, with one arm leaning on the tippy-top of her dresser. He had a sad, but kind, frown rested on his features.

"You would call _Plue_ for comfort and companionship instead of _me_? Lucy, I'm hurt." He complained through his sulk. Lucy offered him an apologetic smile.

"It takes more magic energy to summon you, and I'm feeling rather weak right now." She sighed.

"I know," He replied. "but, not if I come here myself. We're all a bit worried about you, Lucy. **I'M** worried about you, Lucy. You don't seem your usual self today, so what's up?" He took a seat on the edge of the bed. His posture suggested he imagined this to be like a girly intimate sleepover. Lucy sighed.

"It's silly," She started. "but the snow makes me feel… lonely." She gave him a weak smile.

"Well, where are Natsu and Happy? Or Erza? Gray maybe?" He asked, smiling lightly. "Surely they would all find time for you if you asked?"

"I don't think they can help with this." She sighed. Truthfully, she didn't want company if the time together had to be donated instead of cherished, as selfish as she felt that sounded.

"Oh." Loke's voice was deep and dark. "I think I can help." He suggested haughtily, leaning forward. Lucy quickly pushed him away, flustered.

"Not that!" She glowered. "I don't think you understand." She said softly. "It's not that I'm frustrated in… _that_ way…" Well, that was a lie. She WAS, but if she told him that, they would lose all progress. "I just don't want to be alone, not again, not tonight, anyway. Tonight I want company. I just… I just want company."

Loke stared at Lucy. Her fists were clenched, holding the blanket tight beneath her. He wondered if she realized it. Her eyes were round and twinkling, as if she might cry soon from the strength of her own intensity. Her little lips were pursed in an almost-pout. She had the face she wore when she was desperately trying to convey her meaning to someone. She was doing it again. Every so often, Lucy Heartfilia had the ability to make him flustered, to make him run out of cool, and to make him… impressed. Loke had been around for more than a few centuries, and had seen beauty in all forms of women, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Lucy was the first to effortlessly command his respect. He wondered if she was impressed by him. She probably thought of him as her silly, amorous body-guard. He wondered how much longer he could be okay with that.

"I can be good company. You don't even need to leave the bed! I can make you food, and we can listen to holiday music and I can teach you to dance, and I can get your keys out of the bathroom before Aquarius even realizes you dropped them!" Lucy shivered at that last part.

"What makes you think I don't know how to dance?" She laughed, bathing in his enthusiasm. He was trying so hard, and she made a note to remember that.

"I don't know, your legs—while absolutely beautiful and flawlessly smooth" Lucy snorted. "—don't look particularly muscled." Loke grinned deviously.

"I am a daughter from a rich and noble family-"

"Shamelessly bragging, Lucy, I had no idea you were so arrog-"

"-SO I WAS TAUGHT HOW TO DANCE WELL AT A YOUNG AGE." Lucy blurted out. Loke chuckled. "Anyways, I'm not hungry enough to eat an actual meal, so you don't need to cook."

"Well maybe I could bake you something." Loke suggested.

"Baking's only fun if you do it with someone else." Lucy smiled.

"Then why don't we bake together?" Loke suggested, suddenly serious and intense. Lucy felt her heart strings tug violently from the sudden switch in tone.

"I don't know, I don't think I bake very we-"

"Lucy, it's snowing outside. Let's bake something warm." Loke smiled and Lucy couldn't help but soak in the warmth he was projecting.

* * *

Lucy sat on her kitchen countertop, her legs dangling daintily off of the side of the counter, licking a batter-covered spoon. Loke tried to keep from watching her too much. There was an internal conference happening inside him, where a debate was being held to decide whether to focus on the cuteness of her wiggly toes hanging innocently in their comfy socks, or the erotic motion of her tongue upon the wooden spoon. Loke stifled a groan. Lucy needed him to be good tonight.

He busied himself pouring the batter for a cake into a round tin and focusing on the upbeat festive music. A tray of cookies sat pretty next to Lucy, and upon finishing her sticky treat, she began to decorate them with a tube of white frosting. Loke cautiously pushed the cake into the oven and set a timer for its completion. Lucy had an old-fashioned wood burning stove, and so the cookies would have to wait their turn for a space in the oven. Lucy looked up from her decorating and smiled at Loke. Her face was covered in flour, and her sleeves were pushed haphazardly up her arms until they reached her elbows. Loke covered the distance between them in two long strides before pinching one of her cheeks.

"You are so cute." He doted. Lucy whined and rubbed her cheek, pressing even more flour onto her skin in the process.

"Nooooooo, stop it, you're gonna make me get frosting everywhere." Loke chortled at her complaints.

Loke looked down and grimaced at the irritating amount of flour on his suit. This wouldn't do. He began unbuttoning his jacket and finally tossed it on a nearby chair. He rolled up his sleeves and leaned over Lucy's shoulder to peer at the cookies. She had drawn little faces of everyone from Fairy Tail on them. He smiled and scanned the pastry population for his own gorgeous features. When he finally found it, he frowned. His spikey hair made him look like he had little devil horns and his glasses were shaped more like googly eyes. His smile was a goofy version of his suave grin, and he was unimpressed with Cookie Loke. Is this how Lucy envisioned him? Gray and Levy were beautiful cookies. Surely he could be a prettier pastry than _that_.

"Lucy," he mumbled glumly. "Do you think that I'm a good person?" Lucy wiped her forehead with her arm and looked back toward him with a confused expression.

"Is this about Karen again? You know no one blames you for that but you." She lectured.

"No, this isn't about that. I just…" He didn't want to admit that the inspiration for this conversation was as petty as his appearance on a cookie. "I just wanted to know if you thought I was a nice person or not." Lucy smiled.

"Of course you are!" Her smile turned toothy. "You're here with me now, doing something as silly as baking cakes and cookies late in the evening just to keep me company, which is well beyond what you're expected to do as a Celestial Spirit. I think that makes you kind-hearted." Loke smiled at her, thoughtful.

"Lucy, let's dance together, okay? Will you dance with me?" Lucy looked suspicious.

"Loke, I'm all covered and flour and-"

"That doesn't matter. You're pretty. Let's dance, okay? Just a dance." He was frowning now. It felt like his heart might break if she rejected him there. She eyed him intently before accepting his hand.

Loke's hands felt starved as his arm wrapped around her waist and its twin took her hand. He was rarely allowed to get this close to her, and he wanted to cherish it. A piano on the radio played a version of the Kanon and Loke let the notes pour into him as he twirled Lucy around the room.

Lucy felt her heart flutter violently in her chest, stupidly throwing itself against her ribcage in an attempt to escape. This felt very intimate to her. She had been kept locked away on her family's estate, and she hadn't met anyone in Fairy Tail, so Lucy was forced to admit that she was hopelessly inexperienced in these types of interactions. She knew that Loke was, however, which is what made this dance so dangerous. Despite this, she couldn't break away from his embrace as he led her around the kitchen. He smelled like masculinity and cake batter, and it felt so deliciously uncouth to press herself against him in the way she was doing.

Loke felt Lucy move closer. He felt like he was disarming an atom bomb: If he became impatient and moved too quickly, he could become negligent and set her off. He just really, REALLY, didn't want to offend Lucy. His usual maneuvers couldn't be implemented with her, as it just reminded her of his experience and affairs with other women in the past. Lucy didn't want to be seduced, she wanted to be cherished. He knew that, but he was hopelessly unimaginative in his efforts to make her realize that he didn't see her as a conquest. She sighed into his neck and he felt her warm breath on his skin. He couldn't last like this.

They finished their dance together and Loke kissed the top of her hand dramatically. Lucy laughed. Her laugh sounded light and soft like wind chimes. Loke inwardly made note of her idiosyncrasies. He was relieved that Lucy was so kind-hearted and easy-going. He had met women in the past, tragically born without personalities. He smiled at her and thanked her for the opportunity to get so close. He made himself a cup of coffee from her kitchen and sat down at her tiny wooden table. Lucy watched him intently before taking a seat opposite to him at the table. She leaned forward on the table, resting her elbows on the table and intertwining her fingers together. Loke sipped his coffee.

"So?" She asked expectantly. Loke furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What?"

"A dance with me seemed so astronomically important. Now you're casually having coffee."

"I told you earlier that I wanted to dance with you. Remember? Your weak little legs?" He smiled, teasing her.

"Oh, well, I guess." She frowned. Loke watched her intently.

"Lucy."

"Yeah?" She looked up, startled.

"I really, really enjoyed dancing with you." She smiled, a bit flustered.

"Yeah? Yeah. I mean thank you. I liked it too." She twirled a piece of her hair absentmindedly. She truly was one of the most transparent people he had ever met.

"Why am I here, Lucy?" He asked, suddenly serious.

"What?" She asked, cautious.

"I meant why are you so lonely?" Loke was being very careful. He didn't want to upset her. "Surely you have many companions in Fairy Tail, yeah?"

"Oh. Yeah. I guess. I mean, I do, but…"

"But?" He stirred his coffee.

"But I'm alone." She confessed. He gave her a questioning look, beckoning her to continue her train of thought. "I no longer have any living relatives, I've never had a romantic relationship, and I live by myself. Our friends are wonderful, but sometimes I am lonely. It happens, and it is okay."

"I don't like it when you feel lonely." Loke couldn't stop himself before the words had slipped out.

"You don't have to like it." Lucy answered nonchalantly. "I don't like it when it rains on my birthday. But, it rains anyway. Clouds form in the sky, and precipitation happens. It's just how some things work, and you can't change it."

"But you _could_ change it. You could have a romantic relationship. You're a pretty girl. And you could always get a roommate if you needed to. It might actually help you with rent." He explained, desperately trying to fix her problem. Lucy smiled kindly.

"I've never had a romantic relationship. I don't know if I actually want one, to be honest. I think I may only want one now because everyone else seems to have one, and it makes me feel left out and a bit sad."

"I've always admired that about you." Loke said without thinking. "You're always so independent. It's never been a priority of yours."

"I wouldn't say _never_…" Lucy fumbled her words, flustered. Loke chuckled at her discomfort.

"Oh? Does Lucy Heartfilia have her eye on someone?" Loke asked playfully, but in his mind, he was intense. He felt competitive. What type of person did Lucy like? He prepared mental notes. He was a good student.

"Well, don't get me wrong, I have thought about it a bit, but all of the men I've considered have had undesirable restrictions." She smiled. "Natsu and I are close, so I thought we might be compatible, but our companionship resembles that of siblings or close friends, and I believe that Lisanna is the only person Natsu has ever considered for a romantic relationship."

"Okay, so Natsu is out, but there are plenty of other men in Fairy Tail."

"Well, for Gray…" Lucy gave Loke a knowing look and exasperated expression.

"Juvia. Right, got it. Next."

"I don't know! I don't really know anyone else enough to consider them, and a lot of the guys from the Guild are perverts, and anyways: Why are you so interested in setting me up with some other guy? Isn't this the point where you start talking about our future wedding plans?" She smiled at him, but Loke became surprisingly somber.

"Lucy, I want you to be happy. I don't want you to be lonely." He tried to pour all of his sincerity into a single strand of sentences. Lucy looked taken aback.

"Loke…"

"Lucy, what are _my_ undesirable restrictions?" He asked, curious. Lucy appeared immensely uncomfortable by the question.

"You flirt with everyone." She mumbled. Loke felt hurt, but he couldn't say he was surprised. He was expecting this. He gulped and looked at his hands, trying to compose the words to reassure her that he was not, in fact, slime.

"I like people. I think everyone is so interesting."

"You think **women** are so interesting." Her words seemed to burn him.

"Why is that so bad? I don't pretend not to notice when I like someone."

"If everyone is special, then no one is. What will be left of your heart when you've given a piece to everyone?"

"Doesn't it say more that when I leave the best bit for the one person I cherish the most?"

"That person would be giving you their heart. Don't you think that they deserve a full one in return?"

"Lucy, I've been alive for a very, _very _long time. If I didn't let myself get over rejection quickly, I wouldn't have to worry about how big of a chunk of my heart I was giving away—there would be nothing left."

"That's another thing. You're a celestial spirit, and I'm a human. You're so much older than I am; What could I possibly offer you in terms of conversation and experience that you haven't already heard or done?"

"Do you really believe that?" Loke growled, growing offended.

"Yes, maybe, I don't know. I've never been with anyone, Loke, you know that. Why do you bother pursuing me?"

"Because I will outlive you." He spat hoarsely. "I will live forever, and you will die, and I don't want to waste even a second of the time that we have together not letting you know that you are the most precious person to me. Not as my master, but as a person. You're a wonderful celestial wizard, and you're beautiful Lucy—you know that, you've got to know that—and I think it's so fantastic that you want to be a writer, and-"

"Loke." She began with a gulp. She swallowed her pride, but it burned her throat on the way down, and the meal was never very filling. She pulled herself away in order to meet his eyes. He took his glasses off and pushed them on top of his head. It seemed more intimate this way.

"Yes, Lucy?" He felt himself get a bit nervous. He hung on her words like a limp, damp sheet on a coat hanger. He was hers.

"Loke, I really want to kiss you." Loke appeared startled.

"I really don't want you to think that I said that in order to seduce you, or that I'm not being thoughtful of your feelings, or that-"

"Loke." She said it so softly that it was almost a whisper.

"Okay." He whispered.

"Okay."

Slender strong hands cupped themselves on either side of Lucy's face, pulling her lips into his. Loke's body curled around Lucy's tiny frame, covering her in him. The Celestial Lion did not give half-assed kisses. He was not shy, and he needed the tiny blonde to feel his thoughts. Loke held Lucy in a desperate attempt to transfer his feelings for her through lip contact. His mouth pressured hers to give it everything. Loke released her gently, and reluctantly, before nudging her nose with his own. Eskimos kiss with their noses. Lucy panted.

"One more." She breathed heavily, her lips quivering, sloppy slick with moisture.

Loke grabbed her again, this time rougher and more anxious than before. Slow and peaceful piano ensembles played holiday songs to light their mood. Lucy didn't know what she was doing. She had promised herself that she had more self-respect than to end up with Loke, a man who had had several girlfriends at the same time. She reminded herself that it had all been a distraction for himself while in the human world, but she didn't like letting people off so easily, as the heartbreak of the women left behind by him did not discriminate between human or Celestial lovers. Was she willing to discard his feelings because of his past? That didn't seem fair. That didn't feel nice, this kiss felt nice. So, so nice…

He broke contact again, and she realized she had wasted her One More kiss thinking of the reasons why there shouldn't have been an original kiss.

"One more." She pleaded again. She was pulled back in again.

This time, his hands did not meet her face and instead made camp on her sides, sliding around her waist and up her back. He traced the outline of her spine and twirled happy little circles there. This felt so heavy, so sickly sweet, like thick maple syrup. She was drowning in romance by-product: Romance ooze or goo or slippery smooth emission. His scent smacked her across the face again; Smell could be a kinky lover sometimes. Lucy felt intoxicated and her heart felt like it was vibrating in her chest. She counted the oscillations.

Loke felt like he might spill over. He was so filled with something harsh and demanding and honest, he had to call it love for a woman. The tips of his fingers twitched, hoping to be granted permission from their owner to possess the woman beneath them. Loke felt Lucy squirm beneath him, unused to this type of intense physical attention. Her behemoth chest pressed against him and he groaned, unable to pull her any closer. He had to be closer to her or he would surely die.

"Loke." Her soft, perfect little lips mouthed out his name and he was sure he would have to die instantly in exchange for such a gift.

"Lucy?" He answered, his breath ragged and harsh.

"Our cake is burning." She said softly, and sure enough, he smelled the burnt edges from the other end of the kitchen. The timer had been chirping angrily for a few minutes, but neither of them had paid it any attention. He quickly raced to the stove and removed the cake from the oven, but forgot to put oven mitts on, burning his hands in the process. He hissed and let go of the pan, dropping it to the floor, and watched as the cake crumbled and pieces fell onto the linoleum. He grimaced.

"Shit, I'm sorry Lucy." He cleaned up the mess and leaned against a nearby wall, banging his head on the side of it repeatedly. He felt a pair of soft arms wrap around him from behind.

"You taste better than cake." She soothed delicately. Loke whipped around to look at her, but she quickly looked away in embarrassment.

Loke pulled her into him once again, capturing her lips and rocking her body into his. His hands rubbed up and down her sides before resting on her lower back. Loke wanted so much of her, but he was unsure of what he was allowed to do. He wanted to experience every part of her, and to taste to see if she was better than cake as well. He began to deviate from her lips, kissing her chin and then her jaw, before finally locating his goal territory: Her neck. He was gentle at first, kissing cautiously and nipping lightly at her skin, testing the open waters before him. Suddenly, he heard a tiny moan escape her lips and grace his ears, and he grinned into her skin, feeling like he had permission to continue. He bit down a teensy bit before sucking a tender spot on her neck forcefully.

Lucy gasped and let out an involuntary moan. She had never done anything like this before, and she felt herself shiver and push herself deeper into him. She felt incredibly inexperienced and self-conscious near him, as she could feel herself already becoming wet at the simplest of his touches. She was an obvious virgin, and her cheeks blushed bright red at the thought of what she could do with him tonight. Loke could be the one she offered her innocence to, and while a thought such as that might have appalled her before, now it felt like she wanted to give it to him on a silver platter. She tried to remember what underwear she put on after her bath.

"Lucy…" He hissed in her ear. "You're covered in flour, and you just took a bath." He commented suggestively. Her pride faltered at the implication. She wanted to be seductive for him, to make him as flustered as she felt. She hoped what she was about to do was as sexy as she imagined it.

"Maybe…" She began, before leaning forward to nibble his ear lobe. "…you need to lick me clean."

Loke's breath hitched in his throat, and his heart skipped so many beats that it would probably get kicked out of its band. What was she doing to him? Her normally determined and naïve expression had been transformed into a pair of bedroom eyes and swollen lips. Was Lucy not as innocent as he had assumed her to be? Not that he was complaining, he just hadn't imagined this in his mental imagery of his and Lucy's first romantic encounter. He wasn't about to turn down her request, however. He pulled all of the suaveness out of his core and plastered it across his face.

"Lucy, it's snowing outside. Let's keep each other warm." Loke smiled and captured Lucy's lips once again.

Lucy Heartfilia was a mess in all directions. Loke was making her so.


End file.
